There's enough variety within all but
the smallest Läander to fill several
weeks of travel, and you may prefer to
confine your trip to just one or two
regions. Among the
scenic highlights
are the Bavarian Alps, the Bodensee, the
Black Forest, the valleys of the Rhine
and Mosel, the Baltic island of Rügen,
the Harz, and Saxon Switzerland. However,
you may prefer one of the many less
spectacular areas of natural beauty,
which can be found in every province -
these are the places the Germans
themselves love the most, and where they
spend their holidays and weekends.
Several of the cities have the air of
capitals, though
Bann has lost
therole it "temporarily" carried for
fifty years. Nearby
Cologne , on
the other hand, is one of the most
characterful cities in the country, and
the richest in historic monuments.
Bavaria's capital,
Munich , is
another obvious star and boasts of
having the best the country has to offer
- whether in museums, beer, fashion or
sport.
Nürnberg reflects on its
bygone years of glory, while
Frankfurt looks on itself as the
"real" capital of the country, and
Stuttgart and
Düsseldorf
compete for the title of champion of
German postwar success. In the east,
Dresden is making a comeback as one
of the world's great cultural centres,
while
Leipzig is returning to its
role as one of the continent's main
trading centres, while as all these
cities have suffered to a considerable
extent from bomb damage and ugly postwar
redevelopment, the smaller places in
many respects offer a more satisfying
experience. Chief among these is the
university city of
Heidelberg ,
star and guiding light of the Romantic
movement. Tier, Bamberg, Regensburg,
Rothenburg and Marburg in the west, and
Potsdam, Meissen and Quedlinburg in the
east, are some of the many towns which
deserve to be regarded among the most
outstanding in Europe.
The best times to go are
between of Britain or New England.
Summers are usually warm, but not
overpoweringly so: good weather may come
at an unexpected time, while it's not
uncommon to have several abrupt changes
in temperature within a single day. Rain
occurs fairly regularly throughout the
year. Unless you're intending to go
skiing, winter travel can't really be
recommended, other than for seeing the
cities stripped of tourist hordes.
Otherwise, there's a chance of snow at
any time from November onwards. In the
really popular areas, the claustrophobic
effect of masses of organized tour
groups is a factor to be taken into
account between mid-June and mid-September:
best avoid such places altogether then,
and head for the many less spoiled
alternatives. All things considered,
however, the ideal times for visiting
Germany are late spring and early autumn.
